Coronavirus: Portsmouth warning as fake Covid marshals fine unsuspecting people
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Duped firms have told Portsmouth City Council they have been targeted by fraudsters posing as council officials demanding to check out premises.
Now a senior councillor has said Hampshire police have been informed, and urged people to ask for ID if approached.
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Hide AdPolice and council licensing officers have been keeping a close eye on businesses and pubs.
Several locations have been issued £1,000 fines for breaching Covid regulations.
The warning comes as Portsmouth is plunged into tier three restrictions from Saturday.
Cllr Steve Pitt, deputy council leader, said: ‘We've received a number of reports of people falsely claiming to be council officials in order to carry out compliance checks and issue fake fines.
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Hide Ad‘We're working closely with the police who are investigating. I want to reassure businesses that our official officers will never issue on-the-spot fines. Please do ask for ID if someone comes to visit your business.
‘Our officers will have clearly visible ID, as well as high-visibility clothing, clearly marked with the Portsmouth City Council logo. If you're suspicious that someone is posing as a council official or asking you to pay a fine on the spot, call the police.
‘Our Covid business compliance officers are there to help people living and working in Portsmouth stay safe.
‘It's really important that all local business understand and are following the guidelines so they're as safe as possible for everyone who visits and works there. This is especially true as we move into tier three and all need to make every possible effort to limit the spread of coronavirus.’
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Hide AdPortsmouth has seen 5,258 Covid cases with 133 deaths up to December 16.
The city’s rolling seven-day new case rate is currently 202.9, higher than the last peak on November 20.